The Price of Power
by Hikari-san42
Summary: Sonic reflects on the Chaos Emeralds and their effect on him as he and Tails traverse Hill Top Zone. But, he has no idea what they're capable of. He's in for a big surprise. /Super Sonic study/


_The Price of Power  
><em>_By Hikari-san42  
><em>_Rating__: K  
><em>_Pairings_: _None  
><em>_Warnings__: Uh, a difference in writing quality, because this was written with giant gaps between parts. I kept picking it up and putting it back down. Also, I haven't proofed it yet, so it's rough.  
><em>_**Notes**__**:**__**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ**__ This was originally supposed to be a Super Sonic study. It was only about 630 words, but then it was decided that I would add more to the beginning so it could be posted along with a Dark Sonic study Yami-sama42 was writing. Unfortunately, Yami got herself into __How to Train Your Dragon__ and was like "lol you want Dark Sonic? Well, you'll have to wait a week or two." This didn't exactly suit my needs, so I finished it and I'm posting it now.  
><em>_Disclaimer:__ Nope, don't own Sonic. Though, I WILL be owning an Xbox before __Generations__ comes out. 'Tis a __must__. (All I gots is a Wii. DX ) _

_ENJOY! _

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><p>Power was a strange thing for Sonic to understand. It was dangerous and harsh, yet it enabled him to save those he loved. It filled him with an almost-hatred for the one of he was fighting, yet it was his feelings for his friends that fueled his motions. It seemed to him that his power and his emotions were connected, always fighting and pulling against each other, one never being able to get a step above the other.<p>

He could always feel the Chaos Energies tugging at him from all directions, as if yanking him towards all seven Emeralds at once, but he never really paid any attention to them, instead opting to focus on his running. (There was always a stronger, more prominent force than the others, but it extended forward, up, and away from him, so he didn't notice it most of the time.)

Now though, with all seven Emerald humming in his quills, he couldn't avoid the way his veins thrummed against his skin, his blood sensing the power that was close, so very close, and if he could just reach out and grab it…

No, _no!_ He was _not_ going to give in to the temptation. He was good enough to take the doc down without the Emeralds; he was collecting them _just_ to keep them away from Robotnik, nothing more.

Still, the Emeralds seemed to whisper at him, urging him to tap into their power and release the Energies stored in their depts. They needed to be discharged, they urged, or they would start to lose influence, dulling like batteries but never able to be charged again.

He shook his head, looking back over his shoulder to make sure Tails was keeping up. They were currently dashing through Hill Top Zone, getting closer and closer to Robotnik's base with each step. Tails was lagging, exhausted from the looks of it, and barely able to move his tails in rotation anymore. He was jogging as fast as he could, panting roughly, determined to keep up with Sonic.

The hedgehog slowed his pace, trotting instead of a sprinting and allowing the little one to catch up. He did so slowly, but Sonic was content to allow him, feeling almost at peace.

Until a badnik popped out of the grass in front of him.

He didn't blink, however, and just curled into a ball, rolling right into the robot. It cracked open with a popping sound, a small rabbit hopping his way out. He waved happily at Sonic, no worse for wear, before turning and running off the way he and Tails had just come. When he passed the little fox, the rabbit saluted at the kit before continuing on his way.

Tails sighed happily, lacing his hands behind his head as he trotted after his blue friend, a content smile fighting its way onto his face through his fatigue. Slowly, he caught up to Sonic, seeming to fall asleep on his feet as soon as the blue hedgehog eventually stopped completely, catching the small vulpine on his way towards the ground.

"Yeah, okay, I'll keep watch." Sonic mumbled to himself, settling down with his back against a tree and placing Tails' snoozing head on his thigh. He curled up slightly, wrapping his tails around his body in an effort to warm up, snuggling down into Sonic's surprisingly soft leg.

Struggling to keep a smile off his face, Sonic tilted his head into the tree, so his quills weren't touching it, but he could still relax. He closed his eyes, at ease with his surroundings, feeling his heartbeat slowing down as his body followed Tails' example and slipped into a light sleep.

A rustling sound woke him in the morning, his ears snapping to attention as his eyes flung open. He was on his feet seconds later, upending Tails with a startled cry. The fox hit the ground with a solid thunk, and he groaned in response, wheezing through uncooperative lungs.

"The ground is hard." He remarked, sitting up and rubbing his head with a small hand.

Sonic didn't respond, just whipped his head around, trying to pinpoint where the danger was. Seconds later, a few birds took flight a few feet away and Sonic scowled.

"Sorry kiddo," he remarked, kneeling down beside the fox and helping him to his feet. "I thought I heard something. It was only birds though."

"'s'okay Sonic," Tails answered, looking at his hero with large eyes. "Robotnik might have bird 'bots now." The childish innocence packed into the statement made it seem almost like that was the most terrifying experience that the youth could think of, and the dramatic shudder that accompanied it seconds later didn't help either. "That sure would be _awful_, don't you think Sonic? He could spy on us every chance he got and we wouldn't even know because we would think it was just a bird sitting in the tree but it actually was a spy-birdie 'bot thing…"

Sonic shook his head, attempting to follow the quick voice of the fox. "Yeah, yeah," he answered seriously, not really having any idea what was just said.

"I'll protect you from the flying spy 'bots, Sonic." Tails continued, slipping his hand into the speedster's, squeezing slightly. "That way, you won't have another thing to worry about and you won't have a hernia."

Sonic laughed. "Do you even know what a hernia is, big guy?"

This got a pause out of the fox, and he squinted his eyes in thought. "Not exactly. Do you know what it is, Sonic?"

"Not a clue." The hedgehog answered truthfully, tugging Tails into a brisk walk.

They walked quickly, searching for edible berries or fruit for breakfast. _Some type of edible vegetation is bound to be growing around here_, Sonic thought to himself, looking both left and right, _the soil is perfect, with all the lava_. Eventually, they found what they were looking for it a few apple trees clustered together. Luckily for them, it was growing season, and Tails flew up to the top and plucked the plumpest fruit from the top.

They ate as they walked, Tails devouring his two apples in the time it took Sonic to get through half of his. Once he was finished, he let out an appreciative belch, rubbing his belly.

"The apples where great, Sonic," he remarked, a strange note to his voice. "But, could we maybe get some chicken or something in the next town?"

Sonic stopped, turning to look at Tails, one eyebrow quirked. Now that he thought about it, Tails _did_ look a little queasy, like all the fruit was messing with his stomach. Seconds later, he mentally slapped himself.

No matter how developed a civilization Mobians were, they still held much of the same eating habits as their feral ancestors. Tails was descended from carnivores, so it was only natural that his body needed meat to supplement his diet. Sure, he could survive on fruit and veggies alone, but he would always crave meat. Sonic himself was much the same. He would _love_ to live on chili dogs alone, but his body would eventually demand that he eat some type of fruit or vegetable.

"Sure thing kiddo," Sonic answered, nodding, silently running a tally of how much money he had. They weren't hurting for money, but he couldn't help but be a penny pincher. His last battle with Robotnik had sent him into the hole, because it was almost impossible to find cheap food in Starlight Zone. He'd managed to make up the difference though, because the local government on South Island had noted his 'great sacrifice' and given him a grant to be used to feed himself.

"Soni-!" Tails opened his mouth to say something else, but he was cut off as the Emeralds stashed in Sonic's quills flared suddenly, blinding the both of them. Tails reeled back, stumbling over his own feet and slipping down the incline they had just climbed.

He fought to regain his feet, but his efforts were in vain, because they just made him fall flat onto his stomach and log-roll faster down the hill. The last Sonic saw of him, he was tumbling over the edge of one of the cliffs that littered the Zone, probably headed for a lava pit.

The next thing Sonic knew, he had slammed forward, everything a flash of color around him. He practically flew over the edge of the precipice, grabbing Tails and curling around him, preparing himself for the inevitable pain that came when one landed in lava.

"_Sonic_?" The pain never came, and Sonic struggled to open his eyes, gasping to himself as he blinked a few times and shook his head in disbelief, not believing what he was seeing. "Sonic, _Sonic_! You're standing on the lava! _On_ the lava!" Tails screeched into his face, attempting to clamber up onto his head out of fear of being dropped into the dangerous substance below him. "How are you doing that?"

"Wha…?" The hedgehog glanced down at his feet, and almost fell over when he saw his sneakers balancing remarkably on top of the red hot substance. "What the _hell_?"

Tails didn't answer, just whimpered a bit as the lava seemed to rise a little to get him. "Can we get onto land?"

It took Sonic three seconds to jump Tails back onto the platform he had just tumbled off of. When he hit the ground, Tails scrambled to his feet, staring at Sonic with wide eyes.

Sonic didn't understand what he was looking at, but he didn't really care. He was just attempting to figure out how he had been able to _stand on lava_.

"Sonic, how are you glowing? Did you eat a light bulb or something?"

"_What_?" The hedgehog asked, looking down at his arm. Abruptly, time stopped, and he froze, staring at his appendage. It _was_ glowing, quite brightly. He shook his head, wiping at his eyes and biting his lip.

None of this made _sense_. What the heck was going on?

Suddenly, it was too much for him. He needed to run.

So he did.

He could feel everything around him: the lava moving beneath the platform he was standing on, the air barely breezing, and Tails' heartbeat, feet behind him. He knew exactly how far away Robotnik was, and where the nearest badnik was. Everything looked as though seen through a microscope, every pore and fibre showing itself to his eyes. His tongue felt gritty, and he could sense the food he had eaten last night still between his teeth, mixing with the apple. His fingers twitched, the energy coursing through them making them tingle.

Everything was inconsequential to him now. He was barely aware that he was floating, and that Tails was struggling to follow him. He was moving quickly, right on the fringe of the sound barrier, but not pressing through. He was content to hang right here, in this small niche of air.

His fur was a golden colour, his eyes a bright green that glowed with an inner light. They stared forward seemingly unseeing, yet penetrating everything they landed on. His shoes were blazing along with his body, his socks almost godly. He was a living deity, sent to pass judgment on the one tormenting his people.

He was unstoppable, yet he moved slowly, allowing his little brother to follow him. He had all the time in the world, and a small smile graced his features, calm and peace finally settled on his brow.

He was Sonic. And he was going to keep his friends safe, even if it meant changing his whole being.

Super Sonic smiled fully then, turning back and looking at Tails. The little fox seemed in shock at what his best friend had become, but he allowed himself to smile back.

Tails, his little bro', the person that had followed him across the Island. He liked Tails. He was destined for good things, with that huge IQ and great personality. He was going to save people one day, whether through some life-changing invention or discovery or through doing what Sonic was doing now, it didn't matter. He knew that Tails' future was bright. And, because of this form, with the Chaos Energies flowing through his veins and mixing with his blood, he didn't just assume that as Tails' future. He _knew_, without a shadow of a doubt.

Tails trotted after his big brother, eyes wide and staring. Sonic was giving off a warmth, thick and tangible. It washed over him, filling him with tranquility and giddiness. Offhandedly, he felt the need to give his friend a hug, but he held himself back, simply sending another smile, this one larger than the last. The bright gold light coming from Sonic seemed to flare then, and he chuckled to himself, feeling the same happiness that Tails was experiencing, except tenfold. Carefully, he slowed to a stop and extracted one of the Emeralds from his quills, holding it out.

Tails reached forward, taking the stone from his friend, weighing the blue gem in his hand. It was the same as before, except a little duller as it tried to feed Sonic energy and extract enough to sustain itself from the environment. The whole of the planet Mobïus had Chaos Energies flowing through it though, so the Emerald didn't have to work very hard. Tails hugged it close to his chest, feeling the Energies going into his heart and penetrating his core, attempting to burrow in and change him as well. Slightly, his body started to glow, but it was so minor that no one noticed it, not even Tails himself. Happily, he handed the Emerald back to Sonic, content more than ever.

The golden hedgehog nodded towards his little buddy, stashing the Emerald back where it belonged. A silent exchange had taken place with the passing of that Emerald, and now both seemed to be more determined than ever. With peace came the need to fight.

Then, Super Sonic grabbed onto a small hand, pulling a naturally golden form into his arms, and he slammed forward, breaking the sound barrier in two.

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><p><em>So, this thing was written over the course of a month. Can you tell?<em>

_And, stupid me, I decided that TODAY was the day that I was gonna finish it. _

_At 10 o'clock on a school night when I was pretty much wiped out during sixth period onward. _

_So, yeah, I'm not smart, because it's 11:30 and I'm just now posting it. _

_(I still have to format it for dA. ((groans)) )_

_Enough of my moaning. Did'ja like it? Hate it? Drop me a line. _

_Review plz? _

_HIT THE PRETTY BUTTON RIGHT UNDER THIS!_


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